Wire-stretcher.



En W. seoTT.

WIRE STRETGHBR. y APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1909.

iOLUMulA PLANDURAPH Co.. wASmNuTlw'.- 3,;

Patented Feb. l6, 1912.

EDMUND W. SCOTT, OF SIMESONVILLE, MARYLAND.

WIRE-STRETCI'IER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Een. 6,1912.

Application filed August 23, 1.909. .Serial No. 514,281.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, EDMUND W. ScoTT, a citizenof the United States, residing at Simpsonville, in the county of Howard,State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWire- Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The invention relates to a wire stretcher and more particularly to thatclass designed for its primary object to effect a stretching operationso as to conveniently and effectually take up the slack in barbed orother wires of fence structures.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a wire stretcherin which an automatic grip is had upon a wire, while the same is beingdrawn taut so as to overcome any possibility of the wire accidentallybecoming released from the clamps of the device while in operation.

A final object of the invention is the provision of a wire stretcherwhich is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient inoperation, and inexpensive in manufacture.

In the annexed drawings is shown the preferred form of embodiment of theinvention, which to enable those skilled in the art to carry theinvention into practice, will be set forth at length in the followingdetail description, while the novelty of the invention will be pointedout in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings z-Figure 1 is a top plan view of a wire stretcherconstructed in accordance with the invention and showing its manner ofapplication. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of theother clamp.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 5 designates generally a verticalfence post which is of the ordinary type, and 6, a barbed wire adaptedto be acted upon for the stretching thereof by the wire stretcher aswill be hereinafter described.

'Ihe wire stretcher comprises a-metal bar 7 having one extremity bent toform a U- shaped yoke terminal 8, while its opposite extremity is formedwith a right angular extension 9, provided with an oifset jaw 10, and tothis extension 9, is connected by a pivot 11, a movable clamp lever 12,terminating at one end in a handle 13, and its opposite end slightlyrounded as at 14:, to coperate with the jaw 10, and thus serving as acam for clamping in the jaw, the wire 6, for the stretching thereof.

Mounted in the yoke terminal 8, of the bar 7, is a pull lever 15, thesame being connected by a detachable pivot pin 16, to the yoke terminal8, of the bar. At a considerable distance removed from the pivot pointof the lever 15, and connected thereto by a pivot 17, is a strap member18, supporting an eye 19, having connected thereto chains 20, the latteralso connected to the jaw members 21, of a wire clamp and these jawmembers are connected to each other by a pivot 22. One of the jawmembers 21 is formed with a cam terminal 23, coperating with a grippingshoulder 24, on the other jaw member, so as to clamp therebetween thewire 6, for the stretching of the same.

Loosely connected to the clamp lever 12, at one side of the pivot 11, isa rod 25, the latter passed through and freely slidable in a guide eye26, mounted on the bar 7, and surrounding this rod 25, is a coiledeXpansion spring 27, one end of which bears against the guide eye 26,while its opposite end has its bearing against a nut 28, threaded ontothe rod 25. This spring 27, normally holds the lever 12, in position forpositively clamping the wires 6, in the jaw 10, so that upon stretchingof the wire it is prevented from slipping in the jaw 10, but the saidwire is permitted to be stretched taut upon manipulation of the lever15, in one direction.

Carried by the yoke terminal 8, is a chain 29, the latter being passedaround the post 5, and joined at its ends by a hook member 30, carriedby said chain and in this manner the stretcher is attached to the post.

In the operation of the device the chain 29, is secured to the post 5,and the two clamps are engaged with the wires 6, after which the leveris moved in one direction so as to pull upon the wire 6, to take up theslack therein and as this wire is being pulled it freely slides throughthe jaw 10, but should it be desired to take a new grip upon the wire 6,the clamp lever 12, will automatically operate to hold the wire in thejaw Y 10, unt-il the wire clamp on the lever l has that the spring 27then serves to hold thejaws in open position.

It will be noted that the lever 15 is provided in its end with a toothedplate 16 so 'that in tightening a line of fence, it is not necessaryv touse the chain 29 about a post, as the lever may be disposed with theseteeth against the face of a post so that the post will act as thefulcrum of the lever, the teeth of course preventing slipping of thelever on the face of the post.

What is claimed is A wire stretcher comprising a bar having one enddisposed at right angles thereto and provided with an upturned andinturned portion spacedv from the bent portion to form a stationary jawhaving a rearwardly curved working face, a manually operable leverpivoted intermediate its extremities to said bar and contacting with theupper face of the jaw, said lever having a rounded forward corner at itsinner end portion working against said curved face and contacted by theinturned portion of the body and with its opposite extremity extendingbeyond the bar, a guide eye rising from said bar spaced rearwardly ofthe lever, a rod sli'dable therethrough for a portion of the length ofthe bar and pivotally connected at its forward end to the lever adjacentto its pivot point, an adjusting nut threaded on the inner end of saidrod, a coiled spring between the nut and eye for automatically grippinga wire between the lever and jaw, the opposite extremity of the barbeing adapted for attachment to a supporting member against movement, apull rod pivotally connected thereto adjacent to the supporting memberand a wire engaging clamp connected with the bar removed from its pivotpoint for drawing the wire through the aforesaid gripping member when0perated.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature, vin presence of twowitnesses.

l EDMUND w. scorr. litnesses M. T. MILLER, GEO. H. CHANDLEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. v

